Neighborhood Districts

Neighborhood District 2 Meeting Minutes – April 30, 2025 Board members in attendance: Mitzi Collins, James Hall, McKay Jensen, Laura Marre, Ruth Eldredge Thomas, Laura Harper, Katherine Hall, Angie M. Carter, Ashley Rayback, Tana R. Hoover. Provo City Councilors in attendance: Gary Garrett, George Handley, Katrice MacKay, Craig Christensen, Rachel Whipple. Meeting attendees: 279 (176 in Council Chambers, 28 in overflow room, 75 on Zoom) 1. Welcome Neighborhood District 2 Chair Ruth Eldredge Thomas Ruth Eldredge Thomas, the Neighborhood District 2 Chair, welcomed attendees to the Neighborhood District 2 meeting. She encouraged attendees to sign in with their email addresses to receive updates. Thomas also mentioned QR codes available on the back of the agenda for signing up for a WhatsApp announcement group and other communication channels. She recommended downloading the Provo City app for staying informed about city matters. 2. Department Topics Oak Hills Landmarks House Tour David Amott, Chair of the Provo City Landmarks Commission, presented information about the upcoming Oak Hills Landmarks House Tour. He explained that the Landmarks Commission's role is to find, highlight, and celebrate great architecture in Provo. Amott noted that the Foothills area, particularly along 1450 East, contains some of the best mid-century modern residential architecture in Utah. The home tour is planned to showcase homes along 1450 East, featuring ranch-style houses with unique architectural details such as Honduran mahogany exterior siding and breeze blocks. Amott emphasized that these homes reflect post-war American optimism and car culture. The tour is tentatively scheduled for either June 13th or June 28th, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, depending on coordination with the Freedom Festival. Final details will be posted on Provo City social media. Off-Leash Dog Hours at Existing Parks Questionnaire Melia Dayley, a policy analyst from the Council Office, presented information about a proposal for off-leash dog hours at city parks. She explained that the Council is considering designated hours for dogs to be off-leash in existing parks, not necessarily in fenced dog parks. Dayley mentioned that feedback is being gathered through online and paper surveys available at the meeting. The council will be discussing this item in their work meeting on June 17th, and feedback will be accepted until then. Neighborhood District 2 Matching Grant and Service Project Updates Neighborhood District 2 Vice Chair Katherine Hall provided updates on the matching grant and upcoming service projects. She reported that the Neighborhood District 2 Board had written a grant for $7,200 to benefit different areas of the community. The grant will fund a radar speed traffic sign near Wasatch Elementary on Briar Avenue and contribute $3,600 to Provo Parks for improvements at Slate Canyon (Parks is still deciding what these improvements will be). Hall emphasized the importance of service hours in matching the grant money and announced several upcoming service projects: ● State Street cleanup on Saturday, May 3rd, meeting at the Provost parking lot at 8 AM (bring your own gloves, participants need to be at least 16 years old). ● Slate Canyon cleanup on Saturday, May 17th, from 9 to 11 AM. ● Wasatch and Foothills neighborhoods cleanups (dates to be determined). She encouraged community participation in these events and mentioned that sign-up information was available via a QR code. 3. Preliminary Development Presentation and Discussion Introduction & Decorum Ruth Eldredge Thomas introduced the preliminary development presentation and discussion about Splash Summit and its future environs. She emphasized that this was a voluntary presentation by the developers and that it was a preliminary discussion, not a Planning Commission or City Council meeting. Thomas encouraged attendees to remain engaged throughout the process as projects often change. She outlined the format for the presentation and discussion: ● 15-minute presentation by the developer ● Question and answer session using note cards ● Public comment period with a 2-minute limit per speaker ● The meeting would end at 7:30 PM. Thomas stressed the importance of civility and respectful debate during the discussion. Neighborhood Coordinator Rachel Breen explained that this is step one in the development process and that the developer is still in the idea phase, no application has been submitted to the city, and no public hearings have been scheduled yet. Policy Analyst Melia Dayley gave a brief history of the property, explained what the different zones mean, and discussed where Short Term Rentals (Airbnb’s) can be located. Presentation of Proposed Splash Summit Development Southeast of the State Hospital (Provost Neighborhood) Bryan Bayles, the Splash Summit Project Representative, presented the concept for relocating the Splash Summit water park. He emphasized that the details were not yet finalized and that they were seeking community feedback to inform their plans. Key points from the presentation included: ● The current Splash Summit location is landlocked and cannot meet modern guest expectations. ● The proposed new location would be less than two blocks away from the current site. ● The development would include a water park, neighborhood retail, resort lodging, residential areas, and surface parking. ● The water park would be positioned as far away from residents and Slate Canyon as possible to minimize light and sound impacts. ● The plan includes enhancing existing Slate Canyon Park amenities. ● Traffic management plans were discussed, including the use of additional routes to spread out traffic flow. Bayles addressed concerns about hillside development, stating that they would follow all city rules regarding the Critical Hillside Overlay Zone. He also mentioned that the project could help fund infrastructure improvements needed for the Slate Canyon Park amenities. Respond to Written Questions Following the presentation, questions from note cards were addressed. Key topics included: ● Land ownership and transfer of public land to private development ● Consistency with the General Plan, Southeast Area Plan, and Critical Hillside ordinance ● Traffic concerns, particularly on Slate Canyon Drive ● Environmental impact and preservation of open spaces ● Long-term viability of the project and potential for abandoned structures ● Impact on the State Hospital property Bayles and other Splash Summit Project team members responded to these concerns, emphasizing their commitment to working with the community and the city to address issues, and create a beneficial development for all parties involved. Public Comment, 2 Minutes Per Person Numerous community members provided comments during the public comment period. Key themes from the comments included: ● Strong opposition to the development of public land and open spaces ● Concerns about increased traffic, noise, and light pollution ● Desire to preserve natural beauty and wildlife habitats ● Skepticism about the long-term viability of the project ● Questions about the city's commitment to previously promised park developments ● Suggestions for alternative locations or designs for the water park ● Concerns about the impact on property values and quality of life for nearby residents Many speakers expressed appreciation for the current Slate Canyon area and its importance to the community as a natural space. Some suggested that the development, while impressive, would be better suited to a different location. (Transcript of public comments, Zoom comments, and comment cards on a separate document.) 4. Adjournment Ruth Eldredge Thomas concluded the meeting by thanking attendees for their participation. She reminded everyone of the upcoming service projects on May 3rd and May 17th. Thomas also mentioned that the next neighborhood meeting would be held on Tuesday, August 12th at City Hall and encouraged attendees to sign up for email updates. The meeting was adjourned, with an invitation for attendees to continue discussions with Bryan Bayles and his project team in the hall.